Hamby stepping aside

Weaver coach tells East Alabama Sports Today the 2018 season will be his last as the Bearcats’ football coach

Daryl Hamby (center) says the 2018 season will be his last year as Weaver’s head football coach. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)

By Al MuskewitzEast Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD – Daryl Hamby says the 2018 season will be his last as the head coach of the Weaver High School football team. He wants it to end in the playoffs. He doesn’t want a farewell tour.

Hamby confirmed his intention to leave the Bearcats at the end of the coming season to East Alabama Sports Today between games of Thursday night’s Calhoun County Softball Tournament action, where he watched his offensive coordinator Gary Atchley’s softball team split a pair of elimination bracket games.

He cited an inability to maintain the commitment it takes to produce a consistent winner against the schedule the Bearcats play and the desire to be involved following his son Dalton’s future.

“It’s just time,” Hamby said. “I thought about doing it after Dalton, because it’s going to be rough with Dalton gone, but I’ve got a lot of connections to the guys. I’m always going to have those connections, but it’s time for me.

“Football, especially in Calhoun County, is a blue-collar job. It is very time-consuming. I don’t know what the future lies with Dalton, but I want to travel some, I want to be a part of Dalton’s deal, whatever he might venture into.

“There’s more to me than just football. I’ve enjoyed it. I love it. I’m going to enjoy this year and put my heart into it just like I always have, but I am not looking for a farewell tour kind of thing. That’s not my thing. I don’t want attention given to this at all.”

Hamby has coached the Bearcats since 2010. This past season his team went 7-5 to even his career record at 45-45. His best season was 2016 when the team won nine games for the first time since 2005 (9-4) and lost to Piedmont in the third round of the playoffs.

His teams have made the playoffs seven of his eight years at the helm and the last five years in a row. The Bearcats staged a miraculous comeback to win their opening-round game this year at Plainview in double overtime and then lost to Colbert Heights on a two-point conversion in overtime the next week.

He wouldn’t rule out a return to the sideline at some point in the future.

“I’m not saying I’m not coaching any more,” he said. “I think the people who really understand are probably head football coaches because it is a 24/7, seven days a week job. There are so many good coaches in our region, in this area, and if you take a break they will beat you. If I can’t give Weaver 100 percent, then they deserve better than that and I’m not sure after this year I’ll be able to do that.

“I’ve had a great time at Weaver. Great community. Great friends. God, I’ve got a great coaching staff. It’s time for me (to leave).”